Cedar House in Japan by Naf Architect

A house in Hiroshima able to withstand the dreaded earthquakes: a steel base structure supporting a second floor with sloping pillars that allow you to move like a tree in case of earthquake. The second floor is balanced as the branches and the ground floor gives stability.
Designed by architect Tetsuya Nakazono of Naf Architect & Design, the house is situated on a plot of only 175 m2 of floor in a traditional neighborhood with an abundance of distilleries sake, with its traditional plaster walls and cedar paneled black . Inspired by this aesthetic, the house is clad with the same wood, just as the fences were built to protect the small solar neighborhood curiosity.
The ground floor, just over 60m2, is a black box bolted to the floor, steel frame and wooden walls. It contains the most private rooms: the main room, tatami space, bathroom and a spiral staircase to access the top floor. All divisions have been made with sliding doors that can transform the rooms into an open space, and even integrate it with the outdoor terrace. The second level corresponds to an empty space that separates the two floors, and several randomly located oblique pillars hold the second floor, another black box floating gable roof. A straight cylindrical functions as a skylight connects the two floors and provides light to the ground floor.
On the top floor are the public rooms: living room, dining room and kitchen. In this case, the structure is wood beams built in the traditional Japanese method. This structure has been left exposed in the ceiling, which gives it a more welcoming and taken into space. Another opening is also cylindrical connecting this floor with the “missing middle” level.